Year: 2016

I’ve had a couple of days to process/mourn the results of the election.

I have never worried about a presidency, because all previous candidates were intelligent and extremely qualified. I’m glad Obama won twice, but it would have been okay if McCain or Romney were elected.

Watching Trump get elected was like going through the stages of mourning.

Denial. The polls haven’t closed yet… Hillary will pull through and get the swing states.

Anger. Those Bernie Sanders IDIOTS! Where did you come from, Jill Stein! WTF America, half of us are women! Who the FUCK voted for Trump and WHY?!

Bargaining. (After the election… if we sign this petition the Electoral College will meet in December and Hillary could get the presidency!)

Depression. (The entire week.)

Acceptance. (Starting now.)

In the first couple of days, we have seen an increase in hate crimes and harassment of minorities. Trump has appointed a climate change-denier as head of the EPA. He has named his kids transition team members. There’s talk of cutting funds for research and environmental advocacy. This is so, so terrible.

I hope that the increased hate crimes are due to confirmation bias and mean-spirited revelry from the other side rather than a newly established social norm.

I sincerely hope that we as a country, as a people, will be okay.

A man who has empowered bigoted people to become open about their hatred will be our leader. But this is a country for those who love freedom. We ARE free people. We are free to be nonjudgmental, we are free to be racist, and we are free to be bystanders to racism. The president is merely a persuader. He cannot control our actions nor can he change our attitudes. If WE do not want to be racist, then we will NOT be racist, and we will NOT permit others to be racist.

There is less we can do about the possible de-funding of scientific research/EPA… but we can also try to be greener… generate less waste, turn off the lights, keep the heat low, drive less, etc. This is the part that scares me more about Trumps upcoming presidency….

One thing that I’ve noticed is that my communication skills, in particular, my speaking skills, have gone down since college and grad school. I am inarticulate and rambling. I work in a lab every day and don’t talk to a lot of people. I have been asocial for way too long.

I believe that anyone can learn anything. Adaptability, like mathematical reasoning, spatial awareness, artistic ability, and empathy, is an intelligence. Adaptability is the ability to learn new things, to quickly glean the essence of a new skill and plan a course of action that culminates in the mastery of that skill. It is the ability to become more intelligent.

The trait that comes hand in hand with adaptability is attitude. Having the right attitude is not indulging in the delusion that “I CAN DO ANYTHING”. It is accepting that I can’t do it now but might be able to tomorrow. It is acknowledging that I can change.

On that note, I will start by writing in this blog again. I noticed that during times when I write more, I am also more articulate. I will aim to write every day, but will set a goal of making at least one post per week. That’s one post per week for the next 52 weeks.